Fluid treating apparatus for an electrostatic precipitator



Sept. 2, 1969 w. M. FIELDS 3,464,185

FLUID TREATING APPARATUS FOR AN ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR Filed Aug.28, 1967 INVENTOR, Wa/tv' M '5 United States Patent 1m. (:1. B03c 3/78us. or. 55-118 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved fluidtreating arrangement for the collector plates of an electrostaticprecipitator including a crank and cam assembly both directlycooperating with an elongated fluid header assembly to provideoscillatory and axial movement thereof to eflect eflicient fluidtreatment of the collector plates.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to the gasseparation art and finds particular utility in fluid treating structuresfor collector plates of electrostatic precipitators.

Various arrangements are known in the electrostatic precipitation artfor applying fluids to the surfaces of collector plates of electrostaticprecipitators to wash the same and thus remove the particulate materialscollected thereon or to apply gas treating adhesive fluid and thusenhance the collective efliciency of the plates. Included in these pastarrangements have been header assemblies which have been constructed tomove in both oscillatory and axial directions to enhance fluid treatingapplication. Notwithstanding more recent developments in the gasseparation art which have included structures capable of combinedmovement, the header assemblies of the past have not readily lentthemselves to multiple header adaptation. Moreover, past assemblies havebeen comparatively expensive in construction and maintenance, requiringa large number of parts, and have consequently been comparativelyineflicient because of mechanical friction and motion losses between theseveral parts during operation.

Summary of the invention The present invention provides a new, useful,and unobvious fluid treating arrangement for an electrostaticprecipitator, the improved fluid treating arrangement permitting bothoscillatory and axial movement to provide eflicient and eflective fluidtreatment of the collector plates, and at the same time, requiring aminimum of parts to minimize mechanical friction and motion losses. Inaddition, the present invention provides a structure which is economicaland straightforward in its construction and maintenance, permittingrapid erection and removal and requiring a minimum of space in itsover-all assembly.

Various other features of the present invention will become obvious toone skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forthhereinafter.

More particularly, the present invention provides in an electrostaticprecipitator including a housing having spaced opposed gas inlet and gasoutlet openings to define a gas flow passage therethrough, and having acollection section in the form of a plurality of spaced parallelcollector plates disposed in planes substantially paral-- lel to thedirection of gas flow through the passage, an improved fluid treatingstructure for the collection section comprising elongated fluid headerassembly means having spaced fluid distributing orifices therein; meansCir 3,464,185 Patented Sept. 2, 1969 ice to mount the extremities of thefluid header assembly means adjacent the collection plates with thefluid distributing orifices directed toward the collection plates, themounting means permitting axial movement of the header assembly withrespect to the longitudnal axis thereof with an extremity of the headerassembly terminating in a plane inclined to the longitudinal axis of theassembly at a first angle, rotatable cam means axially aligned with theinclined extremity of the header assembly, the cam means having thatextremity adjacent the header assembly terminating in a plane inclinedto the longitudinal axis of the assembly at a second angle opposed tothe first angle whereby rotation of the cam means causes movement of theheader assembly in an axial direction, and drive means connected to thecam means to rotate the cam means.

It is to be understood that various changes can be made in thearrangement, form, and construction of the apparatus disclosed withoutdeparting from the scope or spirit of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing which discloses one advantageous embodiment ofthe present invention and a modification thereof:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of an electrostatic precipitator incorporatingtherein the novel features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the embodiment of the apparatusof FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the header assembly of FIGURES lto 3, taken in a plane passing through line 4-4 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a schematic side elevational view of an electrostaticprecipitator arrangement incorporating the novel features of the presentinvention in a multiple header arrangement.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, there is disclosed housing 2having spaced opposed dirty gas inlet 3 and clean gas outlet 4 to definea gas flow passage therebetween in which is disposed electrostaticprecipitator assembly 6. Assembly 6 includes electrostatically chargedionizing section 7 and collection section 8. As is known in the art andtherefore not described in detail, collection section 8 is comprised ofa plurality of spaced parallel collector plates disposed in planessubstantially parallel to the direction of gas flow through the passageas interleaved electrostatically charged and grounded plate sets 9, 11,respectively.

Positioned in spaced relation upstream electrostatic precipitatorsection 6 is improved fluid treating section 12 of the presentinvention. Section 12 includes elongated fluid header assembly in theform of hollow conduit 13 extending transverse the precipitator sectionassembly. One extremity of conduit 13 is sealed and supported forrotation and resilient axial movement by means of journal box 14 havinghelical spring 16 disposed therein in axial alignment with the sealedend of conduit 13. The opposite extremity of conduit 13 is rotatablysupported on hollow standard 17, axially aligned and in fluidcommunication therewith. A suitable fluid seal 18 is provided betweenthe standard 17 and the conduit 13 to prevent any fluid leakage from theassembly. The hollow standard 17 is connected in turn by means of asuitable flexible conduit 20 to a source of fluid which can selectivelybe either a washing liquid or a suitable adhesive oil as is known in theart.

As can be seen in FIGURE 2 of the drawing, the extremity of conduit 13which is rotatably supported on standard 17 terminates in a planeinclined to the longitudinal axis of the conduit at an angle 19. Alsorotatably mounted on standard 17 is a cam member 21 axially aligned withthe inclined extremity of the header assembly, the cam member having itsextremity adjacent the header assembly terminating in a plane inclinedto the longitudinal axis of the assembly at an angle 22 opposed to angle19 whereby rotation of the cam member causes movement of the headerassembly in an axial direction. Cam member 21 is rotated by means of asuitable drive belt 23 connected to drive motor 24. Also connected todrive motor 24 is crank disc 26 having disposed along the peripherythereof crank pin 27. Suitable crank linkage 28 is provided betweencrank pin 27 and conduit 13 to impart an oscillating motion to conduit13, at the same time as conduit 13 is moved in an axial direction byvirtue of rotating cam member 21, such axial movement being assertedagainst the helical coil spring 16 in journal box 14.

As can be seen in FIGURES 1 and 4 of the drawing, conduit 13 is providedwith a plurality of spaced orifices 29 to direct fluid to the plates ofthe electrostatic precipi-tator, a suitable splash plate 31 (FIGURE 4)being inclined above the orifices to insure substantially planardispersion of the liquid.

Referring to FIGURE of the drawing, it can be seen that the fluid headerassembly can include at least two spaced parallel header assemblies 32,each including a crank arm 33 and having a cam member disposed at theextremity thereof in a manner similar to that disclosed in FIGURE 2 andtherefore not shown in FIGURE 5. Suitable connecting linkage 36 can beprovided between crank arms 33 and drive motor 37 and suitable drivinglinkage in the form of an elongated endless drive chain system 38 can beprovided between the drive motor and the cam members, Thus, with anarrangement like that of FIGURES 1-4, it is possible to provide aplurality of oscillatable and axially movable header assemblies 32 tospray effectively a plurality of collector plate sections extending axishaving a plurality of spaced apart fluid distributing orificestherealong; means to mount the extremities of said fluid header assemblymeans adjacent said collection plates with said fluid distributingorifices directed toward said collector plates, said mounting meanspermitting axial movement of said header assembly with respect to saidlongitudinal axis thereof with an extremity of said header assemblyterminating in a plane inclined to the longitudinal axis of said fluidheader assembly means at a first angle; rotatable cam means having arotary axis about which it rotates, which axis is axially aligned withsaid inclined extremity of said header assembly, said cam means havingthat extremity adjacent said header assembly terminating in a planeinclinued to the longitudinal axis of said assembly at a second angleopposed to said first angle, said cam means constructed and arranged sothat when said 0am means is rotated about its rotary axis the rotationof said cam means causes movement of said header assembly in an axialdirection; and drive means connected to said cam means for rotating saidcam means, said mounting means including a fixed hollow standard axiallyaligned with said header assembly to slidably and rotatably receive saidheader assembly in sealed fluid conducting engagement therewith, saidfixed hollow standard rotatably receiving said cam means thereabout.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, said elongated fluid header assembly meansincluding at least two spaced parallel header conduits, each having acrank arm and a cam member cooper-able therewith; connecting linkagebetween said crank arms and said drive means; and an elongated endlessdrive chain system between said cam members and said drive means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 933,718 9/1909 Mehoney 74-56 X1,209,813 12/1916 Coles 239-225 1,399,441 12/ 1921 Petersen -1172,392,540 1/ 1946 Lyman 239-225 2,672,206 3/ 1954 Keist 55-118 3,101,7308/1963 Harris et al 239-225 X 3,237,598 3/1966 Zahn 118-315 3,257,7786/1966 Flagg 55-118 3,266,553 8/1966 Munters 261-112 X 3,348,480 10/1967Bohac et al. 101-349 FOREIGN PATENTS 733,873 8/ 1933 France.

812,012 1/ 1937 France.

547,943 4/1932 Germany.

HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner DENNIS E. TALBERT, 1a., AssistantExaminer US. Cl. X.R.

